Anonymous
Post 01/28/2022 23:43     Subject: Reenrollment contracts due before decisions from other schools?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:At SSSAS the deposit is 10% of annual tuition, which is around $4,500. Last year my DC looked elsewhere and we were reluctant to pay such a hefty deposit given we weren’t sure if we were staying. It seems out of line with the deposit amounts at other schools.


That is a HUGE deposit. While $1200 is reasonable and doable, $4,500 is the school purposefully sticking it to those who apply out. Do they have a hard time filling seats or something?


Do new students have to pay a 10% deposit as well? Why so large? Is it to discourage new students from ever taking a WL spot at a different school in April or May?


New and returning families are required to pay the 10% deposit when they sign the enrollment contract.
Anonymous
Post 01/28/2022 09:38     Subject: Reenrollment contracts due before decisions from other schools?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:At SSSAS the deposit is 10% of annual tuition, which is around $4,500. Last year my DC looked elsewhere and we were reluctant to pay such a hefty deposit given we weren’t sure if we were staying. It seems out of line with the deposit amounts at other schools.


That is a HUGE deposit. While $1200 is reasonable and doable, $4,500 is the school purposefully sticking it to those who apply out. Do they have a hard time filling seats or something?


Do new students have to pay a 10% deposit as well? Why so large? Is it to discourage new students from ever taking a WL spot at a different school in April or May?
Anonymous
Post 01/28/2022 09:31     Subject: Reenrollment contracts due before decisions from other schools?
Anonymous wrote:At SSSAS the deposit is 10% of annual tuition, which is around $4,500. Last year my DC looked elsewhere and we were reluctant to pay such a hefty deposit given we weren’t sure if we were staying. It seems out of line with the deposit amounts at other schools.


That is a HUGE deposit. While $1200 is reasonable and doable, $4,500 is the school purposefully sticking it to those who apply out. Do they have a hard time filling seats or something?
Anonymous
Post 01/28/2022 07:26     Subject: Reenrollment contracts due before decisions from other schools?
At SSSAS the deposit is 10% of annual tuition, which is around $4,500. Last year my DC looked elsewhere and we were reluctant to pay such a hefty deposit given we weren’t sure if we were staying. It seems out of line with the deposit amounts at other schools.
Anonymous
Post 01/27/2022 23:12     Subject: Reenrollment contracts due before decisions from other schools?
Has GDS sent out their Re-enrollment contracts?? We never got one.
Anonymous
Post 01/27/2022 22:44     Subject: Reenrollment contracts due before decisions from other schools?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Yes, this is the way it has always been. Be prepared to forfeit your deposit at the current school.


+1. Consider the deposit a tax for squatting on a seat that you intend to vacate.


Best. line. ever.

Small price to pay to have a backup plan.
Anonymous
Post 01/27/2022 12:41     Subject: Reenrollment contracts due before decisions from other schools?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Every year. Schools place the burden of risk on parents. And they get the extra cash if a family moves after paying the deposit.

It doesn’t seem unreasonable at all. Why would the school finance the risk?


Exactly. Especially for families who want to leave. Business first.


Well if everyone could be adults about it, the schools could ask if families definitely intend to re-enroll or if they are looking at other schools. They would then know how many seats they definitely have to fill and how many others they may have to fill. They could set the deposit deadline for the second group soon a few days after admission decisions are announced, at which point they could make a second round of offers from the wait list for any seats that open up.

And they would likely lose the kids they wanted by making it obvious they are on the b list, they’d risk having those kids go elsewhere. Also schools balance the classes on gender, geography, race, etc, so they want as many spots pinned down as possible. It would also create a lot more work for admissions
Anonymous
Post 01/27/2022 12:34     Subject: Reenrollment contracts due before decisions from other schools?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Is it common at DC privates to have enrollment contracts due before families learn whether they are admitted to other schools?

I guess I understand that schools need to know if they have room, but how could you possibly switch without knowing if you are admitted elsewhere?


Are schools renewing contacts of those not vaccinated??


Yes, enrollment contracts are due about 3 weeks before decisions are out. You loose your deposit. It isn’t that much - maybe $1000-$1200. They use the enrollment numbers to estimate how many open spaces they have for next year and how many kids to admit in each grade.
Anonymous
Post 01/27/2022 12:23     Subject: Re:Reenrollment contracts due before decisions from other schools?
If you are a high need Financial Aid family, talk with you enrollment management person about your predicament.
Anonymous
Post 01/26/2022 19:01     Subject: Reenrollment contracts due before decisions from other schools?
Anonymous wrote:Is it common at DC privates to have enrollment contracts due before families learn whether they are admitted to other schools?

I guess I understand that schools need to know if they have room, but how could you possibly switch without knowing if you are admitted elsewhere?


Are schools renewing contacts of those not vaccinated??
Anonymous
Post 01/26/2022 17:05     Subject: Re:Reenrollment contracts due before decisions from other schools?
Anonymous wrote:I mean, it’s only $1000 or so. That is a large amount of money, but not when compared with the cost of private school for 4-12 years (or whatever time you enroll). It’s not enough to deter families who really want to go.

I think it’s so families don’t just apply out to see if they can get in somewhere more often (who maybe aren’t unhappy but just want to see if they can get in). Or for families who definitely know they are going but want to hold the spot until June.

They don’t want to burden families too soon for tuition payment for the next school year but they need to create incentives that will allow them to plan for the next school year. So it’s a fair compromise.

Judging by the number of people who complain about it every year, it’s seems like a good equilibrium price.
Anonymous
Post 01/26/2022 16:34     Subject: Reenrollment contracts due before decisions from other schools?
Just talk to your school about an extension. They already know you're applying out since they had to send in recs and transcripts. They'll either say yes or no.
Anonymous
Post 01/26/2022 16:31     Subject: Reenrollment contracts due before decisions from other schools?
We paid the $1k deposit and got into our first choice so we applied out to so we lost $1k
Anonymous
Post 01/26/2022 15:18     Subject: Re:Reenrollment contracts due before decisions from other schools?
I mean, it’s only $1000 or so. That is a large amount of money, but not when compared with the cost of private school for 4-12 years (or whatever time you enroll). It’s not enough to deter families who really want to go.

I think it’s so families don’t just apply out to see if they can get in somewhere more often (who maybe aren’t unhappy but just want to see if they can get in). Or for families who definitely know they are going but want to hold the spot until June.
Anonymous
Post 01/26/2022 14:51     Subject: Reenrollment contracts due before decisions from other schools?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Every year. Schools place the burden of risk on parents. And they get the extra cash if a family moves after paying the deposit.

It doesn’t seem unreasonable at all. Why would the school finance the risk?


Exactly. Especially for families who want to leave. Business first.


Well if everyone could be adults about it, the schools could ask if families definitely intend to re-enroll or if they are looking at other schools. They would then know how many seats they definitely have to fill and how many others they may have to fill. They could set the deposit deadline for the second group soon a few days after admission decisions are announced, at which point they could make a second round of offers from the wait list for any seats that open up.

The schools are being adults about it. They’re taking care of their bottom line.